Sept. 19, 2003

Contact: Bill Myers, University Libraries, (785) 864-8921.

Special collections librarian receives Budig award at KU

LAWRENCE -- Richard W. Clement, special collections librarian, is the recipient of the Gretchen and Gene A. Budig Distinguished Librarian Award for 2003, Stella Bentley, dean of university libraries, announced today.

Clement joined the University of Kansas faculty as assistant special collections librarian in 1986. He was named special collections librarian in 2001 and was promoted to librarian III in 2002. He is an elected member of the Grolier Club, an international bibliophilic society, and is editor of RBM, a journal of the Association of College and Research Libraries. As special collections librarian, Clement is responsible for developing and preserving the collection of rare books, maps and manuscripts housed in the Kenneth Spencer Research Library.

Former KU Chancellor Gene A. Budig and his wife, Gretchen, established the library faculty award with the KU Endowment Association in 2001. The award is presented annually to a library faculty member who demonstrates meritorious professional performance and service. It succeeds the Chancellor's Award for Distinguished Librarianship that Gene Budig initiated in 1989 during his tenure as chancellor.

Budig was named KU's 14th chancellor in 1981. During his 13-year tenure, more than 180 faculty positions were established. He was an active fund-raiser during Campaign Kansas, the 1987-92 campaign that raised $265 million from private donors. He left the university to become the president of baseball's American League and now is senior adviser to Major League Baseball. The Budigs live in Princeton, N.J.